Safe Locks
The lock is the most active part of a safe, and there are several different types of safe locks to consider. Since you’ll be using the lock so often you may as well choose a safe that has the lock you like best.
The combination lock has traditional been the most popular, but in recent times the electronic lock has caught up in popularity. A lot of safe manufacturers give you the option to choose between these two locks for any particular safe, with the electronic lock being a little more expensive.
Equally secure, but a little less common is the fingerprint lock, also known as the biometric lock, which means you’re choices on the types of safes that have this lock are much more limited.
Combination Lock
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Combination locks are still a popular form of locking device on many safes. Combination locks require at least a three digit combination that is used to unlock a safe. Usually the safe can be locked by simply spinning the combination dial.
Depending on the safe manufacturer, the combination lock may already be pre-set and cannot be changed. This is because if the combination is lost or forgotten, the person can contact the manufacturer, provide details about the safe, such as its serial number, to retrieve the combination. There have been instances when owners of antique safes have passed away without giving their safe combination to the family, leaving few options for opening the safe aside from possibly damaging the antique safe by calling on the help of a locksmith.
Electronic Lock / Digital Keypad
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Electronic locks, also known as digital keypads, are a common type of locking device found on all types of safes including gun safes, hotel safes, home safes, and office safes. This type of locking mechanism requires a digital code to be entered for the safe to lock and to be unlocked. The number of digits required is determined by the manufacturer, but usually the longer and more complicated the code, the tougher it will be to crack.
An added safety feature that often comes with this type of lock is when a wrong combination is entered several times in a row the lock will temporarily disable itself for a short period of time, usually in the 10 to 15 minute range.
Biometric Fingerprint Lock
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A growing number of manufacturers are offering safes that are locked and unlocked using biometric fingerprint technology. No codes, combinations, or keys are used with these highly advanced safes.
Biometric fingerprint safes can store up to a certain number of fingerprints so that only you and those you trust will be able to access the safe. Some biometric safes can also require a code or a key in addition to fingerprints for extra security. Biometric fingerprint safes may also offer the option of tracking who is opening and locking the safe, even with time and date stamps.
Manuel Keys
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Some safes are locked with a manual key. Most manufacturers send more than one key for the safe unit, but it may be wise to make additional copies in case the original keys are accidentally lost.
A lot of times safes come with any of the above type of locks with an extra key lock for additional security. Once in a while, however, a safe comes with only a key lock, and these are generally the least secure.